The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged month-on-month at 4.3% in September and down from 5.2% a year prior, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has said.

The unemployment rate for males was also unchanged at 4.2% while unemployment among females fell from 4.5% to 4.3% last month.

The youth unemployment rate among persons aged 15-24 jumped from 11.8% to 12.4% as schools and colleges returned, and unemployment for persons aged 25-73 fell from 3.1% to 2.9%.

The seasonally-adjusted number of persons unemployed was 116,900, down 800 from August and 18,600 from September 2021. There were 61,300 men and 55,600 women unemployed last month, up from 59,800 and down from 58,000, respectively, in August.

Pawel Adrjan, economist at Indeed, said the stall in unemployment reflected the more challenging macro-economic backdrop the economy is facing with cost-of-living pressures, higher energy prices and the continuing war in Ukraine.

In Association with

"In Ireland’s competitive jobs market, with high levels of labour market participation, an area of potential concern is the youth unemployment rate," he continued. "For those aged 15 to 24 years the rate rose to 12.4%, from a low of 8.2% in February 2022, and up from a level of 10.7% twelve months ago.

"This segment is an important area for the government to focus on for training, education and reskilling. Equipping people with appropriate skills in segments of the economy experiencing labour shortages increases the prospects of getting the younger unemployed active in the labour market in the future.

"Despite the worsening economic outlook, continued low unemployment and elevated level of job postings mean that opportunities abound for jobseekers, while employers continue to face a challenging hiring environment.”

Andrew Webb, chief economist at Grant Thornton Ireland, said the labour market "continues to hold its nerve" despite fears about inflation and falling consumer confidence.

"Unemployment rates are now lower than pre-pandemic levels, a remarkable performance when considering how uncertain training conditions have been in recent years," Webb said.

"The key question as we head into winter will be whether the labour market can continue to confound predictions of an economic slowdown. With pressure coming on business via inflated energy costs and other input inflation, the labour market risks are mounting."

(Pic: Getty Images)